


A walk in the park

by Linkfanfiction



Category: RWBY
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:01:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26133883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Linkfanfiction/pseuds/Linkfanfiction
Summary: A little bit of RWBY Fluff re-uploaded from my Deviantart account.Warning may give you the feels.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	A walk in the park

The Xiao-Long Rose sisters weren’t expected to come to school this week, nor the two that would follow. Their father was given the standard three days bereavement leave, but no one dared contest as he cashed in his vacation days. Most of their meals lately had come from cereal boxes, or were ordered in by Tai when one of his daughters informed him of their hunger. Other than that, the collapsing man would hardly leave the master bedroom, laying down and reminiscing on his late wife, who has been sound asleep next to him only a few days before.

“Come on Ruby! We have the park all to ourselves!”

Today was an exception as the blonde child pulled her sister along into the sandy playground. Their father sat back on a nearby bench, smiling wearily as his children managed to find some semblance of joy in their family's darkest time.

Tai’s mind was sluggish even as he worked on his third cup of coffee, his hearing was dampened as his ears listened for the return of his wife's voice. Should a grimm attack, he believed himself to be more than capable of defending his family, but his hands shook silently as he brought the coffee to his aching lips.

As he watched his daughters, a lone feather crossed between the family, briefly blocking his line of sight on the girls. But he wouldn’t take his burdened stare off them, even as the seat next to him became occupied.

“You shouldn’t be here Qrow.” Tai said, tasting the alcohol that radiated off his fellow huntsman.

A loud metal clang forced a wince out of the teacher, the sound of Harbinger being laid to the ground, it’s barrel facing away from the two girls that did battle on the swingset. 

“Relax, I already measured it out, they’re far out of my semblance range. Even if they came running, the worst they can get is a mouthful of sand.” Qrow said, taking a load off and letting his eyes roll back to the sky. “I would be careful with that coffee though.”

Tai set the mug on the ground, better a burn on his foot than Qrow ruining one of his few pairs of clean shorts.

“That’s not what I meant.”

Tai watched as his eldest daughter got off the swing, realizing her sister couldn’t reach as high with her less developed legs. The younger rejoiced as small but powerful arms helped lift her a little closer to the sky.

“I mean, I don’t want you around after that stunt you pulled last week. The kids didn’t need to see their uncle stumble in covered in spirits and piss, which I can still smell on you by the way.”

Qrow heaved a sigh, pulling a flask out from his jacket pocket, though rather than partake he dangled it in front of the angry blond. Only a few droplets were tossed around inside.

“I haven’t filled this back up since that night. The smell... that just comes with the clothes.” Qrow returned the flask as he continued to settle himself in. “Go home Tai, get yourself cleaned up, I’ll take it from here.”

Tai kept his gaze on the children, though his change of tone may as well have been him putting a knife to Qrow’s throat.

“You’ll take it from here, huh? So I can do what? Take a shower, shave my beard, and pretend that nothing is wrong?” Tai scoffed, and crossed his arms over his chest, as if to block out any sympathy for his former teammate. “With your luck, I would rather leave them alone entirely than leave them alone with you.”

Qrow didn’t retaliate, even if the words did sting. His brother in law was not in a place where he couldn't be forgiven for a few harsh sentences.

“Are you aware that your daughters stuck out a few days ago? While you were making arrangements for the funeral?”

Tai suddenly lost the kick in his voice, shame and terror pushing him off his podium.

“What?”

“Yep.” Qrow too joined in watching the nieces in question. “Yang loaded Ruby in her wagon and made it all the way to our old sparring grounds, that barn with all those grimm holed up in it. I barely made it in time, which I actually needed a bit of help to do, but the beowolves didn’t lay one claw on either of them.”

Tai’s shock quickly depressed, and he found himself annoyed by Qrow’s lighthearted tone.

“Why didn’t you… whatever. I don’t care why you didn’t tell me, because right now I'm a terrible father apparently. I almost lost my entire family in one month.” Tai spat, bitter like the coffee at his feet.

The crow pointed a finger to the older of the girls, who sported a full and toothy grin as her sister beamed in the air.

“Yang’s got a lot of energy, and a lot of heart Tai. Last time you were like this, she was just a baby, and really just needed to be fed and changed in order to do a good job. But now she’s old enough to see you’re hurting, and it’s hurting her right back.

Tai slumped further back into his seat, knowing the words to be true, but felt worthless in the battle to liberate them from his sorrow. It was like all the weight in his body had shifted to his hands and feet, each day a sluggish struggle to regain the strength he once possessed.

“YANG! TOO HIGH!” The little girl cried, her stomach was tossed around her abdomen; fear was the glue that kept her eyelids shuttered.

“Don’t worry Ruby! Just jump off and I’ll catch you!” Yang insisted, and repositioned herself to await her sister’s launch. There was no doubt in her mind she would protect her sister after her last endangerment.

Tai’s eyes became plates as his pupils diminished, he was ready to race over and scream at the girls to stop before Yang received a blow to the head, or Ruby flew impossibly far and ended up splattered on the sidewalk.

But the father felt an iron clasp wrap around his wrist, and had half a mind to break the arm that held him back.

“The hell Qrow! Let go!” Tai shouted, forced to watch his daughter’s countdown before something terrible happened.

“They’ll be fine.” Qrow said, pulling Tai back as exhaustion hit the father, his adrenaline having decided to take its own vacation from work. “I didn’t tell you that story to scare you, I told it to let you know that you aren’t alone in this!”

Qrow pointed his finger again, this time just above the children’s play area. “And if something bad were to happen, Raven is much closer.”

More bitter shock hit Tai, finally noticing the corvis that sat on the swing’s axel. He didn’t see his eldest child catch the younger in loving arms, the laughter drowned out by the silence Raven had left in his heart.

Qrow let his hand slip away as Tai crossed his arms.

“Of course she’s here too, after eight years of not giving a damn, she’s here.” Tai considered ways he could shoo his ex off, but knew each one would only end with him locked in a rubber room somewhere in central Vale.

“I won’t argue with you there.”

Qrow took a sip from a less familiar container, this one contained a clear liquid he had only wished could be vodka.

“She’s been here since the funeral, keeping an eye on Yang, sometimes even Ruby. Now... Raven hasn’t been entirely civil with Ruby, but any beowolves to come within a mile have ended up slaughtered.”

Tai seriously considered throwing a rock at the pheasant, her having no right to be in Ruby’s life, which was just barely less than she deserved to be in Yang’s.

“Yeah, well she had her chance to be Yang’s mother. Tell her to leave next time you two have one of your chats.”

Qrow took another sip of sobriety, it tasted like the air had that dreadful night Summer didn’t make it home.

“I already tried.”

For a half second, Tai looked Qrow’s way, surprised to hear an agreement from the parent alternative.

“Raven can be bitter, and cold, and she’s always resented for Summer raising Yang. It’s something she was never physically capable of doing, it isn’t just isn’t in her bones. But she’s trying… something now, and we both know she’s faster than either of us, and will catch Yang if she falls. Probably even Ruby if she happens to be around.”

Qrow set a hand on the father’s shoulder, it was firm and squeezed tightly along the bone.

“But you might as well put her help to good use. Go home, take a shower, have a drink, have a good cry, sleep with the neighbor if you have to, I don’t care. Just come back with some pep so I can take my turn to grieve.”

Tai felt the weight become just a little lighter, the shoulder Qrow touched managed to relax a little.

“This is still a team effort Tai, even if Summer is gone, I’m here to sub in.”

A dry smile broke though, a mixture of Qrow’s words, and the actions of his eldest daughter from across the playground.

“Looks like you aren’t the only one subbing in.”

Yang’s arms were wrapped tightly around the rose, who no longer could feel the sand’s heat against her knees; The elder’s warmth that washed over her was both hotter and gentler than even the sun could provide. And though Yang would grow up to look like Raven, and their father’s genes bleached her hair permanently golden, Ruby could feel their mother’s heart beating stronger than ever inside her favorite person in the world.


End file.
